October 25, 2007

Clinics can help you quit smoking

NST: SERDANG: Quitting smoking but nothing seems to help?
Perhaps what you need is help from the professionals at one of the 400 government clinics listed in the Ministry of Health’s website.
The health clinics are available nationwide and provide counselling and treatment for smokers who want to kick the habit.
Patients will be evaluated before a treatment is prescribed, which could include nicotine patches, nicotine gum and inhalers.
“There are facilities available for the public if they need help in quitting, all they have to do is access our website at http://www.infosihat.gov.my or call the hotline number at 8883 4400,” said Health Ministry parliamentary secretary Datuk Lee Kah Choon at the launch of an anti-smoking video competition for private and public universities.
The launch was held at Universiti Putra Malaysia.
Lee said the government was going all out to curb the rising number of smokers in Malaysia
There are more than three million smokers in Malaysia and there are more than 25 tobacco-related diseases known today including cancer and respiratory diseases.
Tobacco also causes more than four million deaths a year.
“Tobacco, in any form, is often deadly,” warned the chairman of the Action on Smoking and Health Committee Dr Lekhraj Rampal, who was also present at the event.
He said it was important for the younger generation to create awareness on the risks of smoking. He commended the students on their efforts in organising the competition.
The competition is aimed at creating awareness and educating university students on the adverse effects of tobacco consumption.